effort was being made to discover the leak, but in
vain. Hour by hour, inch by inch, the water gained on them, and it soon
became apparent that the ship must sink.

It is difficult for those who have never been at sea to realise the
feelings of men who are thus suddenly awakened to the awful fact that
the vessel which has been their home for many weeks or months can no
longer be counted on, and that, in a few hours, they shall be left in
open boats, far from land, at the mercy of the wide and stormy sea. So
terrible was the thought to those on board the _Foam_, that every man,
from the captain to the cabin-boy, toiled for hours at the pumps in
silent desperation. At last, when it was found that the water gained on
them rapidly, and that there was no hope of saving the ship, the captain
quietly left off working and put on his coat.

"Avast pumping, my lads," said he, in a grave, earnest tone; the good
ship is doomed, and now it behoves us to bow to the will of the Lord,
and do the best we can to save our lives. Stand by to hoist out the
boats. Get up bread and water, steward, and stow in them as much as you
can with safety. Mr Cupples, see my orders carried out, and have the
provisions properly divided among the boats. I want you, doctor, to
come below, and help me to get up a few things that will be of use to
us.

The prompt energy of the captain infused confidence into the men, who
soon executed the orders given them. Ere long the boats were ready to
be launched over the side, but this was a matter of the greatest
difficulty and danger, for the sea was still running high, and the ship
rolled heavily.

And now the great evil of not being provided with proper tackling to
launch the boats became apparent. One of the quarter-boats was the
first to be lowered; it was full of men. The order was given to lower,
and it dropped on the water all right. Then the order to unhook the
tackle was given. The man at the stern tackle succeeded in unhooking,
but the man at the bow failed. The result was fatal and instantaneous.
When the ship rose on the next wave, the boat was lifted by the bow out
of the water until she hung from the davits, and a terrible cry was
uttered as all the men were thrown out of her into the sea. Next moment
the boat was plunged into the waves, the tackle snapt, and she was swept
away.

"Lower away the long-boat!" shouted the captain.

This was eagerly and quickly done, and the mate with